AN injury time equaliser denied Accrington Stanley victory in a dramatic League Two fixture at home to Newport County.

Stanley trailed in the 11th minute when Robbie Willmott fired a controversially awarded free kick through the Reds wall and into the bottom corner.

But James Beattie’s side were back on level terms in the 22nd minute as Danny Webber’s smart pass played in Murphy and the midfielder found the corner.

Stanley went 2-1 ahead a minute before half time when Kal Naismith headed home Murphy’s right-wing cross.

Newport equalised in the 71st minute as Ryan Burge escaped the Reds defence and shot past keeper Marcus Bettinelli, but Stanley thought they had won it when Murphy headed in Laurence Wilson’s corner two minutes from time.

They were cruelly denied, however, in the first minute of stoppage time. Willmott crossed from the left and Lee Minshull turned the ball past Bettinelli.

Stanley: Marcus Bettinelli; Nicky Hunt, Dean Winnard, Tom Aldred, Lee Naylor (Laurence Wilson 81); Piero Mingoia, Luke Joyce, Peter Murphy, Kal Naismith; Danny Webber (Will Hatfield 81), Kayode Odejayi. Subs not used: Rob Atkinson, Craig Roddan, Shay McCartan, Josh Windass, George Bowerman.

Newport: Lenny Pidgeley; Ismail Yakubu, Tom Naylor, Andy Sandell; Ryan Jackson, David Pipe, Ryan Burge, Lee Minshull, Robbie Willmott; Conor Washington (Christian Jolley 79), Rene Howe. Subs not used: Andrew Hughes, Tony James, Mike Flynn, Danny Crow.

Referee: Dean Whitestone.